Tiling Around Sockets

Tiling questions and answers in here please

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
leew
Newly registered Member
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:01 pm
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Tiling Around Sockets

Post by leew »

Alrite guys.

Anyone tell me how I make this look good? Thinking take sockets off then try to squeeze a cut tile in but bit concerned about the edges being too thin to do this.
20140320_200515.jpg
20140320_200515.jpg (294.22 KiB) Viewed 5362 times
I thought about grouting it but it would look $h!te I thought with a massive grout line between socket and tile.

Any advice please?

Cheers.
leew
Newly registered Member
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:01 pm
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by leew »

Looking to plod on tomorrow so get them suggestions in please if you don't mind!

First time tiling so need all the help I can get!!
User avatar
ayjay
Senior Member
Posts: 9891
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:51 pm
Has thanked: 458 times
Been thanked: 1708 times

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by ayjay »

You need a tile nibbler or a tile saw - you'll likely break a couple getting one right (well, I would) , but it will be better than huge grout lines.
One day it will all be firewood.
blackvenom
Senior Member
Posts: 128
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 5:51 am
Location: Lancashire
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 8 times

Tiling Around Sockets

Post by blackvenom »

You'll notice there is a difference in width from the metal box to the socket plate. When I did my kitchen I unscrewed all the sockets from the boxes and tiled very nearly up to the edge of the metal box then when you screw your plate back on you'll have a nice finish

Image

Oh and I have this tile cutter that I've used for a bathroom, kitchen and two small floors and it's served me well. If I had to buy one again though I would go for a more powerful one but this one is still a trooper.

http://m.wickes.co.uk/450W-Tile-Cutting-Saw/p/215754

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Chris Skilbeck
Senior Member
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:31 am
Location: Lampeter
Has thanked: 132 times
Been thanked: 238 times

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by Chris Skilbeck »

You'll notice there is a difference in width from the metal box to the socket plate. When I did my kitchen I unscrewed all the sockets from the boxes and tiled very nearly up to the edge of the metal box then when you screw your plate back on you'll have a nice finish
Yes, what he said - and I've successfully cut thin pieces of tile with a diamond edged disc on a small angle grinder (in fact it's what I use for all tile cutting). Go steady and don't bring the disc off at an edge - cut into the edge-glaze from both ends of the cut. For fine pieces, or shaped pieces, I tend to hold the tile in one hand and the grinder in the other, but this is probably a bit dangerous if you haven't got big hands and a firm grip, so hold the tile down firmly on a clean piece of flat wood - clean it between cuts, too, or you'll end up cracking tiles.
User avatar
Timllfixit
Senior Member
Posts: 1423
Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 3:41 pm
Location: Wiltshire
Has thanked: 146 times
Been thanked: 209 times

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by Timllfixit »

Dremmels are great for this sort of thing.
When all you have is a hammer, every problem is a nail.
dewaltdisney
Senior Member
Posts: 17077
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:51 pm
Location: Essex
Has thanked: 821 times
Been thanked: 3521 times

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by dewaltdisney »

I did the same tile and pattern job and met the same problem around the sockets. I think it is worth £30 buying a power tile saw like this http://www.screwfix.com/p/energer-enb52 ... 240v/61123 You really can cut thin strips and shape tiles quite easily. I cut a u-shape in a tile to slide in under the socket. By cutting a number of parallel lines and then carefully snapping the waste ones off to a scored line made with a tile cutter.

I have done loads of work with my £30 tile cutter and it is still going strong.

DWD
User avatar
wine~o
Senior Member
Posts: 26279
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 3:49 pm
Location: hants/dorset border
Has thanked: 1414 times
Been thanked: 4019 times

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by wine~o »

+1 for DWD's advice.. even a cheap wet cutter is great for some of the more fiddly cuts.

Good idea to get a tile file as well to remove any sharp edges...electric wires/cables and sharp edges don't mix..
Verwood Handyman

_____________________________________________________________________________

If you feel you have benefited from the Free advice given on the Forum, Please consider making a donation to UHM's Nominated charity, read all about it and donate here :

http://www.donnasdreamhouse.co.uk
User avatar
aeromech3
Senior Member
Posts: 3598
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:16 am
Location: Ash Surrey
Has thanked: 177 times
Been thanked: 665 times

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by aeromech3 »

And you can get longer socket face plate screws from Maplin.
ILikeDIY
Senior Member
Posts: 137
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:41 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Tiling Around Sockets

Post by ILikeDIY »

The socket looks to be on crooked:

Image

If you straighten it out it would make cutting the tile much easier, as you won't have to make it so thin in certain areas.

Use a wet saw tile cutter like this:

Image

http://www.amazon.co.uk/VITREX-103402-D ... B000C74Y6M

I got mine from Wilkinson's for around £34. Makes profile cuts so east, even do curves on it.

To get the U-shape you make a succession of cuts along the red lines:

Image

Then snap them off at the blue line (snap them sideways), and file it smooth a little. You will be left with the black outline.
Post Reply

Return to “Tiling Forum”